Paper info

Complexity and Business Networks

Jens Geersbro and Laurids Hedaa

The paper was published at the 18th IMP-conference in Dijon, France in 2002.

This paper is part of a ph.d. research project on Business Networks. During the past 20 years computer models and algorithms have provided us with an increased understanding of non-linear systems and components also known as complex phenomena or complexity. Based on this algorithmic view of complexity, different types and aspects of complexity are listed and described with special attention to their relevance for Business Networks. Although computer simulations of complexity phenomena can be highly seductive, the authors believe that analogies and parallels to business networks, that in their essence are based on human interactions should be made with a lot of caution. It is our intention to identify possible ways of using this understanding of complexity to illuminate and inform our understanding of the underlying processes of Business Networks. This is in contrast to much of the everyday references to complexity where it is used as a synonym for ?too difficult? or ?impossible? to describe or analyse any further. By making careful analogies and illustrations, we expect to present new angles from which to shed more and different light on what goes on between actors in business networks.